Projects/Case Studies
Delivering Successful Development
& Refurbishment Projects
How to Achieve Sustainable Outcomes with Clear Value in Real Estate.
“Practical experience and sustainability principles can shape capital projects that satisfy investors, developers, and occupiers while meeting tough market and planning demands - proving that future-ready buildings come from actionable ideas backed by real-world results.”
New Town Quarter, Edinburgh
I have worked in real estate markets for 35 years, including 15 years specialising in property development with Grosvenor. Today, I use this experience to help clients deliver the next generation of sustainable buildings. The key question: how do you deliver sustainable outcomes that truly create value? This case study explores general principles and bespoke solutions through a checklist of key questions and practical examples.
Key Principles and Questions
Successful sustainable projects start with understanding the desired outcomes and market context. Consider these guiding questions:
Alignment with Corporate Targets: Do your investments and developments support existing corporate sustainability targets?
Planning Consent Requirements: Are local authorities requiring evidence of carbon reduction, climate resilience, biodiversity enhancement, and social impact?
Investment Market Viability: Will your project stand up to due diligence by investors and funders?
Occupational Market Needs: Does the building deliver operational efficiency, energy resilience, and capacity for future power needs?
Climate Resilience: Have you assessed risks of premature building obsolescence and insurance implications due to climate change?
Energy & Carbon Resilience: Do you have clear evidence that the building will satisfy the energy needs of occupiers both today & tomorrow.
These questions apply across investors, developers, occupiers, and funders, forming the foundation for informed decision-making.
Case Examples of Successful Outcomes
Lucent Building, Glasgow
A pioneering 100,000 sqft office redevelopment by Orion Capital Partners. It retains a historic facade but delivers best-in-class sustainability credentials and office space, proving refurbishment can meet high sustainability standards.
New Town Quarter, Edinburgh
Largest single housing-led investment in the City of Edinburgh in more than a decade, led by Orion Capital Partners & Ediston. Development includes office space, residential apartments, and purpose-built student accommodation. A brownfield site sitting in a long-established city centre communiy on the edge of a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
42 Wigmore Street, London
An exemplar office refurbishment in Marylebone & a sustainability flagship project for Aberdeen Investments. The project was specifically designed to meet high sustainability benchmarks, including targeting a BREEAM 'Outstanding' rating.
These projects demonstrate how sustainability can coexist with commercial success and heritage preservation.
Practical Actions and Tools
New Build or Refurbishment Decisions:
Assess costs, potential performance, and long-term value. Refurbishments may lower upfront costs but can limit ultimate outcomes. Planning processes and the need for lower carbon emissions
Benchmarking and Certification:
Use relevant certifications like EPC and BREEAM to validate performance claims, ensuring certifications support—not drive—design decisions.
High-Quality Data Collection:
Embed data technology to monitor real performance from the outset to avoid greenwashing and deliver measurable value.
Addressing Carbon and Biodiversity:
Prioritise embodied carbon, operational carbon, circularity, and biodiversity net gain (BNG) in project planning and delivery.
Climate Risk Management:
Analyse risks related to climate, building use to future-proof assets.
Social Impact:
Understand local & occupier staff needs with engagement & ensure that the delivered impact is capable of measurement.
Delivering Value Beyond Labels
Sustainable capital projects succeed when clear value aligns with rigorous market standards and real performance data. Avoid superficial claims and focus on comprehensive, evidence-based strategies that consider carbon, climate risk, social impact, and operational resilience. This approach ensures projects meet stakeholder expectations and support broader sustainability commitments.
Clients & Projects
Clients and projects I've been fortunate enough to be part of:
